Super 8 Baxter Brainerd Area

... of all the women who trekked across this area in covered wagons with their kids”. In a way, I felt a kindred spirit with them, my disgruntled favor with my cell phone service seemed trivial, but I tell you what, you can’t take my built-in DVD OR my Gail King show at 1am via satellite for ANYTHING….and I think I might just invest in a TOMTOM after all.

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... it out just to get to the suitcases), taking the dogs out to the kennel, finishing some laundry, cleaning and getting a haircut, we finally left. A very uneventful day as far as sights are concerned, did some major driving, that is I did it and just now arrived at the hotel at approx 11:30 EDT. I'm just happy to be here and get to stretch out. Tomorrow involves some 900 miles to drive ...

... and his family put together a really great dinner for us with roast beef, homemade mashed potatoes, green beans from someone's garden, and one of the best apple crisps i've ever had. after dinner, i spent more time tweaking my bike (with the pastor's kids for an audience...they were really interested in learning more about the bike), and after a few hours of that, it was time to turn in and get ready for another day.

... they were better than corn dogs (dagwood dogs). We took a bit of a walk around the town. It was pretty cute, but it seemed very touristy. My highlight was the biggest dog I've ever seen... Major the Saint Bernard. Next we drove to Nisswa to check out the turtle races and the pioneer village. The turtle races are held at 2 o'clock on Wednesday throughout summer. You can race one ...

... Andrew's was named Gracie. At first we just did a slow walk but by the end of the ride we made it to a canter. I must say that I enjoyed cantering much more than trotting and I think my horse did too (it was much smoother). For dinner we went to Big Trout Lodge, a place on a lake with nice sunsets. While we were waiting for our meals a few deer appeared out ...

... Pequot Lakes and took a half mile stroll along the Paul Bunyan trail towards Nisswa. This gave Shannon the "oppitchancity" (to quote Madeline) to share with us the Paul Bunyan story... Paul Bunyan, was found as child, a very large child, and adopted by a village. He grew into a giant and because he was so big, everyone had to pitch in to feed him. One day he had become ...

... have put us back in camp in the early afternoon. Instead, we left camp at 8:20 AM. In most cases this would have been enough time to get back before dark. In the end however, our eight hour hike took us 14 hours and we returned well after dark, at 10:30. Andrew and Benji might have different recollections of the hike, so I won't speak for them. For me everything after the first mile was sheer misery. The trail itself is mostly rocks. Hiking on a rock trailbed is slow ...